Postesophagectomy mediastinal chylothorax causing upper airway obstruction misdiagnosed as asthma: a report of two cases.

Injury to the thoracic duct resulting in chylothorax is an uncommon but well-documented complication of esophagectomy. In two cases, which were associated with signs of life-threatening upper airway obstruction, an initial diagnosis of asthma was made. It appears that this complication of esophagectomy has not been reported previously.